Improved fire-kindling composition



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SMITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVED FIRE-KINDLING COMPOSITION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,503, dated October 17, 1865.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SMITH, ofProvidence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Kindli'ng Composition; and I do hereby declare that the following is at'ull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a tire-kindling compound which is made of candle or lamp wick prepared by dipping the same in benzine, naphtha, camphene, burning-fluid, or any other inflammable liquid, and afterward dipped in melted paraffine, stearine, resin, tallow, beeswax, or asphalt, either of which may be applied singly or two or more of which may be united in any suitable proportion in such a manner that a fire-kindler is obtained which can be easily lighted and which will greatly facilitate the operation of lighting fires in stoves or furnaces of any description.

The candle or lamp wick may be taken in the same state in which it is used for candles or lamps, and after having been dipped in one of the inflammable liquids above mentioned, it

may be further prepared, if necessary, by inserting a match at the end of each wick. It may also be further prepared, if desired, by adding dust of mineral or vegetable coal or sawdust, sulphur, or saltpeter, either before or after dipping the same in the melted paraffine or othermaterial or compound as previously stated, and the ends of each stick may be dipped in a little match composition so that the same can be lighted by friction in the same way as an ordinary friction-match.

The sticks produced in this manner are very convenient for kindling a tire in a stove, grate, or furnace, a few sticks being suflicient to produce the requisite heat for kindling a large fire.

The compound can be made cheap, and by its use much time and trouble will be saved to all persons having charge oftires or fire-pl I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A kindling compound made of the ingredients herein described and mixed together, sub stantially as set forth.

JOSEPH SMITH.

Witnesses JAMES B. SMITH, ANN A. HEYWELL. 

